Malaysia Travel

About Malaysia

Malaysia is made up of 13 states. Which is Johor, Melacca, Pahang, Penang, Perak, Sabah, Sarawak, Terengganu, Kelantan, Negeri Sembilan, Kedah, Perlis and Selangor. Kuala Lumpur is the capital. It is the largest city and the heart of Malaysian business and culture.

Malaysia is one of the most pleasant, hassle-free countries to visit in southeast Asia. It's buoyant and wealthy, and has moved towards a pluralist culture based on a vibrant and interesting fusion of Malay, Chinese, Indian and indigenous cultures and customs. Parliament House, (see picture) is the symbol of democracy in Malaysia.

Strategically located between the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea, Malaysia has long been the meeting place for traders and travellers from west and east. Its history is one of continuous interaction with foreign powers and influences.
Capital: Kuala Lumpur
Area: 328,550 sq km
Population: 24.53 million
Currency: Ringgit (RM)
Average exchange rate: $1=3.80

GDP: $200 billion (2001 est.)
GDP growth: 4.1%
GDP per capita: $3,626.58
Inflation rate: 1.5% (2003 forecast)
Unemployment rate: 3.4%

Exports: $8.0 billion
Imports: $6.35 billion

Investments(2002)
Foreign: $3.09 billion
Domestic: $1.85 billion
Total: $4.94 billion Top five exports:
Electrical and electronic products, Palm oil, Chemicals and chemical products, Liquefied natural gas, Crude petroleum

Top five imports:
Electrical and electronic products, Chemical and chemical products, Machinery, appliances and parts, Metal products, Iron and steel products

Major export markets (percentage share)
US (16.9 percent), Singapore (16.4 percent), Japan (11.5 percent), China (6.8 percent), Hong Kong (6.6 percent).

Major sources of imports (value)
Japan ($1.05 billion), US ($1.0 billion), Singapore ($0.78 billion), China ($0.5 billion), Republic of Korea ($0.32 billion)
Population

The outstanding characteristic of Malaysia's population today is its highly variegated ethnic mix makers it one of the prime examples of a multiracial society in the whole world. The multiethnic character of Malaysia's population has come into being over the course of the last 150 years. Broadly speaking Malaysia's ethnic groups fall into two main categories: those with culture affinities indigenous to the region and to one another, who are classified as bumiputera; and those whose cultural affinities lie outside.

Malaysia is a multicultural nation of friendly, warm hearted people. It has population of 17.9 million people. Peninsular Malaysia has 14.6 million people while Sabah and Sarawak have 3.3 million people.
Religion

Although Islam is the national religion (approx. 70%), the Malaysian Constitution guarantees freedom of worship. Islam, Christianity, Hiduism, Buddhism, Taoism and Sikhism are the main religions in Malaysia, and there are many mosques, temples and churches throughout the country.